Could soccer be Buffalo Wild Wings’ saving grace?

Buffalo Wild Wings just reported a wildly disappointing first quarter with same-store sales down 1.7%. That despite the fact that the end of the football season and March Madness both occurred in the quarter.

Now the company is hoping that a different type of sport can help bolster sales — soccer.

“Soccer is a growing sport in the United States and we’ll be the place to watch all the action on the pitch for the major tournaments this summer,” CEO and President Sally Smith said in a press release.

Smith goes on to talk about how Buffalo Wild Wings is turning its stores into the perfect destination for soccer fans.

“Our restaurants will be where soccer lives this summer during excitement of the Copa América and Euro Cup tournaments,” Smith says.

He continues: “We’ve partnered with Heineken to promote Buffalo Wild Wings as the place to catch all the action on the pitch, during the 80 games of the tournaments. Soccer will carry increase media weight this summer and we have a co-branded spot with Pepsi.”

“As soccer is a year-around sport, we intend to win the market for soccer viewership with our great food and beverage experience, and unparalleled sports viewing environment. We’re confident Buffalo Wild Wings will regain sales momentum by focusing on these initiatives that are within our operational control.”

The company is currently facing increasing competition from the likes of Wingstop, a company that experiences 75% of its business from carryout orders.

Smith said that Buffalo Wild Wings aims to “[continue] to execute a strong takeout program and gain additional share.” Takeout represented 16% of total sales in the first quarter.

Peter Mondrose is the Editor-In-Chief at BusinessPundit. He received his degree in Economics in 1998 and a second degree in Journalism in 2004. He has served as a financial adviser, market trader, and freelance journalist for the last 11 years. When he's not investigating market conditions and reporting on workplace news, he can be found traveling with his wife, dog, and laptop. He can be reached at PeterMondrose@BusinessPundit.com or (929) 265-0240.